§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give further details of the collaborative ventures to which the Minister for Industry referred on 12 December,Official Report, column 984, in which the Government are prepared to play a part to assist the knitwear and textile industries.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggSupport is available to the knitwear and textile industries for pre-competitive collaborative research under the four main schemes covered by the research and technology initiative.
The schemes are:LINK, which encourages firms to collaborate with universities and polytechnics in pre-competitive researchEUREKA, which encourages firms to enter collaborative ventures with firms in other European countries Advanced technology programme (ATP), which assists companies to collaborate in selected fields of new technologyGeneral industrial collaborative programmes, which provide support for projects at research and technology organisations and for other collaborative projects not covered under the above headings
§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the total sum allotted in each of the next three financial years referred to by the Minister for 51W Industry on 12 December, Official Report, column 984, as available for collaborative ventures between the Government and the knitwear and textile industries.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggNo specific sum is allocated to collaborative research ventures by the garment and the knitwear and the textile industries. Proposals put forward, either by companies in these industries or by the research and technology organisations serving them, are judged on their merits and given appropriate support under the terms of the research and technology initiative.